[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68374-68375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26022]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-05AF]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-498-1210 or 
send comments to Sandi Gambescia, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    How Miners Modify Their Behavior In Response To Personal Dust 
Monitor Information--New--National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, section 501, 
enables CDC/NIOSH to carry out research relevant to the health and 
safety of workers in the mining industry. The objective of this project 
is to document how coal miners can use real-time information from their 
personal dust monitors (PDM) to reduce their exposure to respirable 
dust. The specific aims are to (1) identify several specific examples 
of how miners use PDM information to discover which parts of their jobs 
and/or which aspects of their work environment may be causing them to 
be overexposed to

[[Page 68375]]

respirable dust, and (2) identify the types of changes that miners 
could make in order to try to reduce their exposure. Although the most 
recent data on the prevalence of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) in 
the United States indicates that it is declining, substantial numbers 
of CWP cases continue to be diagnosed. In recent years, CWP has 
contributed to the deaths of approximately 1,000 people in the U.S. 
each year.
    A personal dust monitor (PDM) has recently been developed through a 
collaboration involving NIOSH, the Bituminous Coal Operators' 
Association, the United Mine Workers of America, the National Mining 
Association, and Rupprecht & Patashnick Co., Inc. This new device 
represents a major advance in the tools available for assessing coal 
miners' exposure to respirable dust levels. It will soon be field 
tested with coal miners throughout the U.S. As with the introduction of 
any new technology, it is very important to systematically document how 
workers react to it and make use of it. If miners know how to properly 
use the information PDMs are capable of providing, they should be able 
to make adjustments to their work place or work procedures that will 
reduce their exposure to respirable coal dust.
    Various parties have speculated about the processes by which miners 
will use the information to reduce their exposure to respirable dust. 
There appears to be great potential. However, no one knows precisely 
how miners performing a wide variety of tasks and jobs are actually 
going to use this new information to reduce their exposure to dust. It 
is assumed that, once PDMs are introduced, miners will eventually find 
new ways to reduce their exposure to dust. Once these discoveries are 
made, they need to be documented and shared throughout the industry. 
The diffusion of this innovation will occur much more rapidly and 
efficiently if this proposed study takes place. Effective strategies 
for using PDM information will be well documented and quickly shared 
throughout the coal industry. The alternative is to wait for the miners 
at each of the 439 actively producing coal mines in the U.S. to go 
through their own trial and error process of discovering how PDMs can 
and cannot be used to reduce dust exposure. The proposed study will 
help to significantly reduce the incidence of lung disease among coal 
miners, leading to improvements in their longevity and quality of life. 
The information for this study will be collected by conducting one-on-
one structured interviews with approximately 20 miners at each of 5 
mines located throughout the major coal producing regions of the U.S. 
This survey will last 2 years. There will be no cost to respondents 
except their time to participate.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of    responses  per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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Coal Miners.....................................             100               1           30/60              50
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............              50
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    Dated: November 17, 2004.
B. Kathy Skipper,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-26022 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P